Ismaïl Aissati

[Kowalczyk]

It's a done deal, people. Ismaïl Aissati is an Ajacied.

PSV and Ajax have reached an agreement, according to both NOS Teletekst and ANP (Holland's press agency). The transfer fee will remain undisclosed and it is as yet unknown for how many years he will sign. But the transfer as such is a fact.

PSV manager Van Kraaij told ANP: "In recent weeks I've talked to Danny Blind several times. The last time was on Friday. It took some time before we reached an agreement. We will not reveal the transfer fee."

K.

[saddlerian]

Yes, Sporting Life says it as well, so that's another forward...but where are these defenders????

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/ne ... -Ajax.html

[Kowalczyk]

Yes, Sporting Life says it as well, so that's another forward...

He's a midfielder, actually. A 'number 10', you could say. In my opinion you can compare him to Steven Pienaar. Tremendous skill, strong on the ball, good thru-pass, joy to watch, but can't score a goal to save the planet. All in all I'm quite pleased with him, though. I like him.

And now for a defender (or two), as you say!

Seriously: if we manage to land one or two strong, tall, big, quality defenders I will really start to believe in this squad. But: defensive reinforcements are a must. Without an extra defender I don't believe in anything at all.

K.

[Cedric]

I don't really like him, I really don't like the fact that Ajax have now 4 or 5 ex-PSV players, but well, I think it's still a good move...

[bluedaddy19]

i like the move, we need at least one buzzing bee #10

word on the street is we paid 5M and loose change

[DanK]

The guy looks to have some skill, albeit from the small glimpses of seeing him in action for PSV or Oranje. Good signing IMO.

As you mentioned Menno. The squad is looking good (even if KJH leaves I think), but will look, much, much better on paper with one or two killer defenders.

[Blind3]

Like I said, PSV won't sell Aissati to Ajax just as we wouldn't sell Perez to bulb city.

Any club with aspirations can never have too many weapons/options. I'm very pleased with the move.


Defenders please !!!!!! Stevie Wonder could see that any side which may lose Emanuelson permanently and either Vertonghen, Vermaelen or both temporarily, really does have a need for defenders. Offense rarely was the issue the last several years. D-E-F-E-N-S-E clap, clap, clap, D-E-F-E-N-S-E !!!

[aveslacker]

[Blind3]

Ajax Netwerk is running an Algemeen Dagblad article that says the Ismail Aissati transfer sum was 4.1 milliopn euros. The contract length is noted as four or five years.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Is it just me, or does this kid look like a douche.

Anyways, hope to see him add more flair in our midfield which already consists of Lindgren, Gabri, Perez, De Jong, maybe Sulejmani

[Blind3]

As long as he doesn't play like a feminine hygiene product of any description, I'm fine with the signing.

[Kowalczyk]

Nice little 'statistic': he's the fourth ever player to move directly from PSV to Ajax. The first three were goalkeeper Gert Bals (1965), Peter Hoekstra (1996) and Kenneth Perez (2008).

Another five players served at Philips Stadium before penning a deal at Ajax, but they played for other clubs before moving to Ajax. These five are John Veldman, Jaap Stam and three players in Ajax's current squad, namely Jurgen Colin, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Dennis Rommedahl.

So yes, the current Ajax squad indeed has an unusually high 'ex-PSV factor'.

K.

[gordonvandekamp]

Nice little 'statistic': he's the fourth ever player to move directly from PSV to Ajax. The first three were goalkeeper Gert Bals (1965), Peter Hoekstra (1996) and Kenneth Perez (2008).

Another five players served at Philips Stadium before penning a deal at Ajax, but they played for other clubs before moving to Ajax. These five are John Veldman, Jaap Stam and three players in Ajax's current squad, namely Jurgen Colin, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Dennis Rommedahl.

So yes, the current Ajax squad indeed has an unusually high 'ex-PSV factor'.

K.

And ex-Heerenveen, ex-Groningen...I didn't realize how few came directly from PSV, though, even if the Perez transfer should have never happened and we should have kept him in the first place.

I think this is a good signing and can't see how we're not set with midfielders/forwards now. He's still young and I hope we don't bail on him after a bad year, it seems like he still has a bit of developing to do.

[ZoefdeHaas]

SO what's the opinion on this guy, how has he been performing lately?

[Kowalczyk]

Aissati update... He's back in training with the group, but not ready for competitive action just yet. It is now expected that he can play a game with Young Ajax in mid-February.

His first year as an Ajacied is really going down the toilet this way. Must be difficult for him.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

Guess what? Aissati is in the squad for tomorrow's Volendam game!

K.

[peter]

It is a preliminary squad, because there are 19 names on the list. One player will be disappointed in the end. Hopefully it is not Aissati, although I'm not sure whether he is ready to grab some minutes. Let's hope so!

[Kowalczyk]

The papers are absolutely raving about his performance. "Ajax finally have a real '10' again", "Aissati is the grease in the Ajax engine", etc. etc.

Will be interesting to see how he'll deal with that. The next opponent (which is, by the way, Roda) will probably put a man marker on him. He's the hype of the day and the man to eliminate.

Meanwhile, he has to decide whether he wants to play for Holland or Morocco. He says he has made up his mind, but he does not want to say anything just yet.

Media attention must be pretty overwhelming at the minute.

K.

[Blind3]

He's very talented to be sure, but the the play of the likes of Suarez and Co. can help produce even more space for Aissati to operate in.

[Kowalczyk]

Okay, so apparently he played really well as a right winger for Young Ajax the other day, which is why Jol added him to the squad for PAOK as a right winger. He is now above Sarpong in the pecking order for the right wing (which makes you wonder: why did Ajax veto Sarpong's transfer to Spain then?).

I wouldn't be surprised to see Aissati play from the start in Thessaloniki.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

Right then. According to regional newspaper De Gelderlander Ismaïl Aissati is the first purchase of Merab Jordania, the new rich uncle of Georgian powerhouse Vitesse Arnhem... They're running it as news, as if it's a done deal.

Would be a good thing, I suppose.

K.

[Amol]

Would save us a million in salary and hopefully we get 1-2 million in transfer fees. Great news if true. We have a serious glut of attacking mid-fielders.

[Cedric]

VI mentions only a loan deal with option to purchase, sadly. It seems Vitesse was also interested in Wielaert, but he refused.

[orange goblin]

so he's officially gone. loan to vitesse with option to buy. We'll see.

[Kowalczyk]

According to newspaper Algemeen Dagblad Vitesse are to buy Ismaïl Aissati. They had him on loan in the 2010-2011 season and the loan deal included an option for them to sign the player permanently. Which they are planning to do, reportedly. It's not a done deal just yet; club and player are still talking about the terms of the contract.

K.